<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0b1smx_1FPnrr0X00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0b1smx_1FPnrr0X00" width="1200" height="600" >BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Bay County leaders are considering a plan to trim the library’s budget and cut back on book funding.Officials are also considering reducing hours in an effort to save money.The 2027 budget reduction requests propose cutting the Bay County library by $90,000.Sarah Burris, president of Friends of the Bay County Libraries, said the proposed cuts could mean 40% fewer books on the shelves.“Whenever there is an avid reader, you want the newest title as soon as it comes out, and that’s most likely not going to be feasible,” Burris said.Burris said the library is one of the places where people can see their tax dollars at work.“There’s computer access, there’s programming, reference assistance, everything is very valuable to the community,” Burris said.The cuts would also restrict access by reducing operating hours from six days a week to five.“Losing a day is kind of detrimental to what libraries provide,” Burris said.Burris said the library serves babies who come for story time as well as seniors who visit in the winter and year-round.“A lot of seniors are on a fixed income, so it’s really crucial,” Burris said.Bay County officials, in a statement to NewsChannel 7, confirmed they are “working to identify responsible budget reductions that will allow the library to remain open six days a week.”The statement said if Amendment 3 passes, which would increase the homestead exemption for property taxes, “maintaining current library service levels would become increasingly difficult.”Burris said she worries about the long-term impacts.“Literacy levels are already at a low, so if we’re cutting the core service in the community that allows the community to borrow books for free or borrow the books they want, it’s really going to be devastating for current and future generations,” Burris said. Bay County commissioners will discuss the proposed budget on Wednesday night. The meeting will start at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.County officials say this will be the final hearing regarding the 2027 budget.To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WJHG on Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter).Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Email news@wjhg.com. Please include the article’s headline in your message.Keep up with all the biggest headlines on the WJHG News app, and check out what’s happening outside using the WJHG Weather app.</div></body>

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BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Bay County leaders are considering a plan to trim the library’s budget and cut back on book funding. Officials are also considering reducing hours in an effort to save money. The 2027 budget reduction requests propose cutting the Bay County library by $90,000. Sarah...

Bay County considers cutting library budget and hours

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BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Bay County leaders are considering a plan to trim the library’s budget and cut back on book funding. Officials are also cons

Bay County considers cutting library budget and hours

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